PAVLS COMPLAINT AGAINST HIS NATVRALL CORRVPTION WITH THE MEANES HOW TO BEE DELIVERED FROM the power of the same Set forth in two Sermons vpon the 24 verse of the 7. Chapter of his Epistle to the Romanes Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death By me WILLIAM TEELINCK Preacher of the Word of GOD at MIDDLEBVRGH LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Iohn Bellamie 1621. TO THE WORSHIPFVLL HIS VVORTHIE FRIEND M r THOMAS NICHOLAS Esquire As also To the vertuous Gentlewoman M rs IANE NICHOLAS his wife Grace and peace in this life with perfection of glory and happinesse in that to come WORSHIPFVLL The consideration of the dutie which euery Christan is in Conscience bound to performe namely To aduance the glory of God by whom he was created and vpon whom he wholy dependeth and also to further the good of his Brother the Image of God and fellow member with him of the same misticall bodie of Christ compelled me to take in hand the Translation of these two Sermons following as being the good which I hauing opportunitie of time and place to accomplish might in no wise omit They were first preached and published in the Netherlandish Dutch for the benefit of the people of God in those parts which being also my desire in this place I according to my slender ability haue translated and published them here and as a token of the respect I beare vnto your worth and of the thanks I owe vnto you for the many fauourable fruites of your loue am bold to tender them vnto your acceptance and commit them vnto your Patronage They may fitly be tearmed the Anatomizing of the body of sinne a touch stone for a Christian or a Receipt for a sicke soule for they ioyntly containe matter suting vnto these three titles and vse full for all sortes of men as well those that have a name to be aliue but are dead hauing a shew of Religion but want substance as those that are Christians indeed and in truth Whose prayse is not of men but of God But being loath to be too troublesome vnto you with abundance of words I referre you vnto the booke it selfe which being iealous of mine owne errors and insufficiencie I submit vnto your judicious censure euer consecrating my selfe vnto you for your seruice in all that I am or shal be able to performe and my prayers vnto God for your safetie and protection in bodie and soule and thus I humbly take my leaue euer remaining your Worships to be commanded in whatsoeuer C◠HARMAR ¶ The Author his Epistle to the Reader ALthough in all the holy Scripture the word of truth it be found to be most true that in the world there is nothing more hatefull and fearefull then sinne yet daily experience teacheth that there are very few which are grieued and troubled therewith there are to bee found in this cursed world multitudes of them that mourne for their temporall losses and crosses the fruit of sinne one complaineth pittifully of his pouertie of the losse and damage he hath susteined another of his sicknesse of the griefe and paine that he hath suffered a third of the shame contempt disgrace or iniurie which this or that man hath offered vnto him but few consider that sinne is the mother of all this mischiefe yea when they are free from the foresaid inconueniences though they lie plunged and smoothered in sinne they are neuer touched therewith but passe away their time carelesly and securely Let them care that care will onely some few whose eyes God hath opened for to see the mysteries of his kingdome doe make their sinnes their greatest trouble and griefe and not without good cause for it is most certaine and true that he shall neuer see God with ioy hereafter in heauen which commeth not to see his sinnes with a holy and godly sorrow here vpon earth In this sense those that mourne are called blessed of our Sauiour himselfe Therefore for to moue men unto this godly sorrow for their sins and to stirre them vp vnto an holy zeale against all sinnes I haue published these Sermons following wherein I haue shewed how we may be deliuered both from the condemning and commanding power of sinne unto our eternall comfort whereby if any man reape benefit I shall highly reioyce in my labour herein bestowed Farewell in the Lord. Middleburgh the 21. of Iuly 1620. Thine in the Lord WILLIAM TEELINCK PAVL HIS COMPLAINT AGAINST HIS NATVRALL CORRVPTION WITH THE MEANES HOW TO be deliuered from the power of the same Set forth in two Sermons vpon the 24. verse of the 7. Chapter of his Epistle to the Romaynes O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body of death THE Apostle Paul hauing declared at large in the foregoing verses the cumbersome contention he had with his flesh and naturall Corruption the which was alwayes in his way and exceedingly hindered him in the seruice of his God and now finding himselfe dangerously beset with this enemy he cryeth out for helpe as it were with a loud voyce saying O miserable man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death The summe A mournefull Lamentation or Complaint against that naturall corruption wherwith the Apostle found himselfe oppressed The parts are these 1. Against what hee complaineth against the body of death 2. Who complaineth The Apostle himselfe I miserable man 3. How he complaineth Two manner of wayes First he declareth himselfe therefore to be miserable in that he hath this body of death about him secondly he wisheth to bee deliuered from it 1. Of what he Complaineth He complaineth of the body of death by which we must vnderstand as it appeareth in the former Verses our naturall corruption which makes vs in our selues vnapt to any good and prone and readie to all euill euen that originall sinne wherin we were conceiued and borne concerning which the Apostle formerly testifieth that it worketh death Ver. 13. And in another place is termed by him the body of sinne Rom. 6.6 in which respect also he declareth himselfe to be carnall sold vnder sinne ver 14. and witnesseth that it is in him a Law in his members whereby he is greatly hindered in the performance of obedience vnto the Law of God ver 22.23 But we shall better iudge of the meaning of this manner of speech if so be we obserue the reasons why originall sinne or naturall corruption is called a body yea a body of death Our naturall corruption is named a body for these reasons following 1. As a body hath many members so also hath this naturall corruption it is a coniunction or knitting together of many euill members or rather it spreadeth it selfe through all the powers and parts of the whole man therefore it is not onely called a body but also a Man even the olde Man Ephes 4.22 Implying that there is nothing in man which
is not defiled and polluted with this naturall corruption the vnderstanding is hereby darkened the will peruerted the affections disordered the members of the body fit and readie instruments and weapons of vnrighteousnesse c. yea the vnregenerate man which is nothing but flesh hauing not the spirit Iud. ver 19. is in regard of this naturall corruption named darknesse it selfe Eph. 5.8 And in the regenerate man himselfe which hath now receiued the spirit 1. Ioh. 3.24 and in that respect is called Light it selfe Ephes 5.8 yet this corruption spreadeth it selfe in such sort thorough all the parts and powers of his soule and body that it is as a Law in his members Rom. 7.23 there is no more difference herein betweene the regenerate and the vnregenerate then betweene the darke night wherein there is no light at all and the breake of the day wherein the light beginneth to appeare but is not wholly broken forth the light darkenesse being mixt together thorough the whole ayre For the vnregenerate are totally possessed with this corruption in all the parts and powers of their soule and body so that in them there is not any spirituall light and therefore they are called children of the Night and of Darkenesse 1. Thes 5.5 But on the contrary side the regenerate are onely so ouercome with this naturall corruption in all the parts and powers of their soule and body as the ayre is with darkenesse when the day beginnes to breake at which time the light and darkenesse doe as it were struggle together thorough the whole ayre in which regard the break of the day is called light and men are wont to say beholde it is day although that there bee much darknesse in the ayre and in this sence are the regenerate in the Scripture named light Eph. 5.8 And children of the light and of the day 1. Thes 5.5 although that there be much spirituall darkenesse in them and that they are not wholly free from the sinfull flesh but are in euery part polluted therewith and for this cause in the regenerate themselues is this naturall corruption called a body of sinne Rom. 6.6 For it is crept thorough euery part and power of their soule and body So then this naturall corruption is a body but it is a body altogether vgly and monstrous the parts whereof are wholly inuerted or rather peruerted as if the eyes stood in the place where the eares should and the mouth were set in the forehead and all the rest of the members were most deformedly mis-placed To be short it is a simple body of confusion and darknesse it is the image of the Diuell the draught and proportion of Sathan it is in euery degree contrary to the image of God wherein at first he made Man It is therefore idle and foolish that the Papists pretend who say that this naturall corruption or concupisence which lusteth against the spirit is not finne For there is nothing more abominable in the eyes of God then this body for there is nothing in the world more dissonant and contrarie to the will of God and the image that he himselfe hath made he seeth that the image of the Diuell is therein It is truely a monster mishapen in euery member with sinne yea when it worketh not but lyeth still without stirring or mouing it is altogether hatefull before God euen as a wolfe or a Beare is to vs when he lieth still and sleepeth and as we know the Diuell is abominable before God although hee lyeth bound in chaynes of darkenesse and sealed vp in the bottomlesse pitt Iud. 6. Reu. 20. Secondly this naturall corruption is called a body and likewise the flesh Gal. 5.17 because it lyeth and hangeth vpon vs euen as our owne bodie or flesh therefore it is called the sinne that hangeth so fast on Heb. 12.1 For whither we goe or stand we carry it with vs as we doe our owne body and flesh Yea when wee were conceiued formed had our being in our mothers wombe it receiued also forme and being with vs and in vs and sticketh in vs as it were in our marrow and bones and hangeth as fast vpon vs as the blacke skinne vpon the Moore and the spotts vpon the Leopard which doe spring of their owne nature Ier. 13.23 Hence it is that the restraining and bridling of our sinfull Concupiscence is termed in holy Scripture hands cut off and eyes put out it being as grieuous for vs to doe it as to dismember our selues yea we are as vnable of our selues to put away this naturall corruption as the Leopard his spotts and as we our selues are to plucke of our skinne and lay aside our flesh nothing but the hand of God is able to doe it Now it followeth that wee enquire why It is named a body of death and for that there are these reasons First it is so called because ir worketh the death both of the soule and body of man This naturall corruption no sooner entereth vpon the soule but it killeth it spiritually leauing it no more power to doe the will of God then a bodie without a soule hath to performe the office of a man yea it maketh it stinke like a dead karkase in the nostrills of God Psal 53.2 There is no carrion that hath lieu long stinking in a corner cralles so full of filthy Maggotts and wormes as the soule of that man in whom this corruption hath had vndisturbed possession but a little while Hence it is that the Scripture sayth of vnregenerate men that their throte is an open Sepulcher Rom. 3.23 Out of which corrupt and rotten conuersation proceedes Ephes 4.29 And from whence is it thinke you that this noysome stench of sins breakes forth thorough the whole world but from the soules of men which lie dead and stinking by meanes of this naturall corruption And looke what it hath done no the foule the like also hath it done to the bodie it eates and consumes that as a moath doth a Garment Psal 39.12 It is like a wolfe or a beare which hauing taken a man by the throte still suckes his bloud and neuer leaues till all be vp From whence comes it thinke you that man being such an admirable peece of worke decayes consumes and with eâ—s away in such short space as wee see It ariseth originally and principally from this naturall corruption which is in our bodies as a moth in a garment eating them and consuming them by a little and a little whereby it plainely appeares that this sinne is the sting of death both of soule and bodie 1. Cor. 15.56 The lamentable experience hereof had our first Parents Adam and Eue who as soone as by their disobedience they had pluckt vpon themselues this corruption for it is the very same wherwith they were polluted from whom it is descended vnto vs they felt in themselues the sting of death Foreuen then their soules vtterly lost their spirituall life and their bodies
need to feare hell yea heauen is their due notwithstanding they are conuinced in conscience that they are sinfull yet they know no other sinnes that they haue then some small sinnes which they hold to be veniall and those they thinke are so few in number that they need not to make any doubt of their saluation and in the meane time they forget that howsoever they carry it outwardly there is a whole body of death in them which maketh them accursed before God and lyable vnto eternall condemnation this they consider not but say in their heart I am no thiefe no murtherer no drunkard no cheater no whore-monger I can go to Church with my neighbours I need not hide my head for any man and why should they tell me then that I shall not come to heauen as well as another And in the meane while poore men they thinke nor what God hath to say vnto them and what he can alledge against them they weigh and consider not that there is a body of death in them which maketh them to be damnable and accursed before God yea though while they liue they should neither moue nor stirre and doe neither good nor bad But O thou poore man that art thus minded how lamentable is thy case Thou hasf a whole body of sinne with in thee and that as thou liest and sleepest there is a moustrous deformitie in thee which maketh thoe most abominable before God and being not couered will certeinly bring thee to hell thy naturall corruption possesseth thy soule killeth it and maketh it stinke before God Psal 53.2 It destroyeth thy body also for from whence thinkest thou doth it come that thy body is subiect vnto so many paines and difeases that it so decayeth and consumeth away commeth it not from this inward bodie of sinne which hath in it selfe the sting of temporall and eternall death 1 Cor. 15.56 So then yee need not be a thiefe or a murtherer or an adulterer or a drunkard or a deceiuer or an vsurer thou mayest chuse whether thou wilt take so much paines for to goe to hell remaine the same that thou art by nature and thou shalt not escape it continue still an olde wife vnto the olde Man as by nature thou art and thou canst not be saued thou must perish Luc. 13.3.5 if so be thou art not renewed in the spirit of thy minde if the hand of God come not vpon thee if his spirit worketh not in thy heart and create in thee a new heart and a new spirit if hee causeth not the light of his grace to arise in thy heart that thou mayest no longer remaine darkenesse but mayest be light as the day beginning to breake if this I say be not wrought in thy heart it is not possible that thou shouldest euer enter into the kingdome of heauen or inherite eternall life for thou hast a bodie of death in thee which will bring thee into euerlasting death except thou begin to kill the works of this body which thou canst not doe but thorough the spirit which by nature thou hast not neither canst haue but from God alone O what a lamentable thing is it that the naturall man is so blockish and dull that hee not so much as once thoroughly considereth this admonish and exhort these men to marke Gods word diligently to repaire to the Congregation of the faith to watch and pray to redeeme the time and to worke out their saluation with feare and trembling they cast it in the wind they see no reason why they should so trouble themselues they suppose it standeth well enough with them because they are not so openly scandalous and offensiue in their conuersation as others and peraduenture somewhat better then some of their neighbours of whom they report that there is no goodnes in them when as they themselues know not yet what it meaneth to be renewed in the spirit of their minde and what it is to mortifie the deeds of the body thorough the spirit Thirdly let this serue to exhort all the people of God to put farre from them this opinion and conceite of worldly and carnall men let vs giue out selues no rest till we finde that we are renewed in the spirit of our minde and that wee haue some power thorough the spirit to mortifie the workes of this body of death let vs also take heed that we be not so foolish as to seeke our iustification in our selues or in our owne works nothing but that which is perfect can stand before the judgement of God but wee haue a body of sinne in vs which hinders vs from perfection therfore let vs seeke it onely in Iesus Christ our Lord. Fourthly this may moue vs to humilitie shall we be proud and insolent which beare about vs and in vs a body of death which are condemned men vpon whom by the law of God the sentence of death hath already passed Is it a seemely thing that persons condemned and readie to be executed should be proud and arrogant shall we then be high minded and grudging shall we be enuious and malicious shall we be wanton and carelesse which haue in vs a body of death whereby we are lyable vnto eternall death Shall wee in the pride of our hearts make of our body of death a body of insolencie and murmuring a body of voluptuousnesse and mirth a body of wantonnesse and iesting let that be far from vs humilitie becommeth condemned men Abraham was humbled because he was but dust and ashes Gen. 18 27. and shall not we be so too which are nothing els but an accursed lumpe Iob was humbled because the fores had ouer-runne his body but the naturall corruption hath runne thorough all the parts and powers of our soule and body and shall we not be humbled shall a man be cast downe for a disease in the body and shall wee that are so deadly sicke in soule not be cast downe at all Fiftly here is matter of comfort and encouragement to all good hearts who knowing that there is a body of death in them are therewith vnfainedly grieued and troubled and earnestly busied and exercised in mortifying and killing the same by the spirit doe notwithstanding feele in themselues the prickes of the flesh and the continuall buffetts and assaults of this body of sinne Behold my beloued brothers and sisters bee not dismayed and thinke not therefore that you are Bastards among the sonnes of God No as you haue before heard it is the lot of all the Children of God marke in all the foregoing verses of the seuenth chapter to the Romanes what the Apostle himselfe had to doe with his naturall corruption be not then discouraged but stand to it stoutly and although the Deuill goes about to perswade thee that thou art no child of God because thou feelest the pricke of the flesh so strong in thee yet know for certaine that in as much as thou striuest manfully with thy corruptions